Pressure-sensitive adhesive force expressing unit, pressure-sensitive adhesive label issuing device, printer, pressure-sensitive adhesive force expressing method, and pressure-sensitive adhesive force expressing program

Abstract

A pressure-sensitive adhesive force expressing unit including: a conveyance unit for conveying a pressure-sensitive adhesive label in a predetermined direction; a thermal head including a plurality of heat generating elements arranged along a direction substantially orthogonal to the predetermined direction, the thermal head being configured to heat the pressure-sensitive adhesive label from a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer side to form a bore in a non-pressure-sensitive-adhesive function layer and expose the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer; and a control unit for energizing the plurality of heat generating elements individually to control the plurality of heat generating elements to generate heat, the control unit being configured to control the plurality of heat generating elements to generate heat by providing an intermittent energization period of intermittently energizing the plurality of heat generating elements in a heat generating period of one cycle of forming bores for one row in the non-pressure-sensitive-adhesive function layer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pressure-sensitive adhesive force expressing unit that is configured to heat a pressure-sensitive adhesive label to express pressure-sensitive adhesive force thereof, the pressure-sensitive adhesive label including a printable layer and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, the printable layer being provided on one surface of a base, the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer being provided on another surface of the base and covered by a non-pressure-sensitive-adhesive function layer,
 the pressure-sensitive adhesive force expressing unit including:   a conveyance unit for conveying the pressure-sensitive adhesive label in a predetermined direction;   a thermal head including a plurality of heat generating elements arranged along a direction substantially orthogonal to the predetermined direction, the thermal head being configured to heat the pressure-sensitive adhesive label from the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer side to form a bore in the non-pressure-sensitive-adhesive function layer and expose the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer; and   a control unit for energizing the plurality of heat generating elements individually to control the plurality of heat generating elements to generate heat, the control unit being configured to control the plurality of heat generating elements to generate heat by providing an intermittent energization period of intermittently energizing the plurality of heat generating elements in a heat generating period of one cycle of forming bores for one row in the non-pressure-sensitive-adhesive function layer.   
     
     
         2 . A pressure-sensitive adhesive force expressing unit according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the control unit provides, in the heat generating period of one cycle, after the intermittent energization period, a subsequent energization period in which a temperature reached by the plurality of heat generating elements is higher than in the intermittent energization period.   
     
     
         3 . A pressure-sensitive adhesive force expressing unit according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the control unit energizes the plurality of heat generating elements continuously in the subsequent energization period.   
     
     
         4 . A pressure-sensitive adhesive force expressing unit according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the control unit maintains the plurality of heat generating elements at a temperature lower than a melting temperature of the non-pressure-sensitive-adhesive function layer in the intermittent energization period, and guides the plurality of heat generating elements to have a temperature higher than the melting temperature of the non-pressure-sensitive-adhesive function layer in the subsequent energization period.   
     
     
         5 . A pressure-sensitive adhesive label issuing device including:
 the pressure-sensitive adhesive force expressing unit according to  claim 1 ; and   a cutter unit for cutting the pressure-sensitive adhesive label to a desired length.   
     
     
         6 . A printer including:
 the pressure-sensitive adhesive label issuing device according to  claim 5 ; and   a printing unit for printing on the printable layer, which is placed on an upstream side of the pressure-sensitive adhesive force expressing unit in the predetermined direction.   
     
     
         7 . A pressure-sensitive adhesive force expressing unit according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the control unit maintains the plurality of heat generating elements at a temperature lower than a melting temperature of the non-pressure-sensitive-adhesive function layer in the intermittent energization period, and guides the plurality of heat generating elements to have a temperature higher than the melting temperature of the non-pressure-sensitive-adhesive function layer in the subsequent energization period.   
     
     
         8 . A pressure-sensitive adhesive label issuing device including:
 the pressure-sensitive adhesive force expressing unit according to  claim 7 ; and   a cutter unit for cutting the pressure-sensitive adhesive label to a desired length.   
     
     
         9 . A printer including:
 the pressure-sensitive adhesive label issuing device according to  claim 8 ; and   a printing unit for printing on the printable layer, which is placed on an upstream side of the pressure-sensitive adhesive force expressing unit in the predetermined direction.   
     
     
         10 . A pressure-sensitive adhesive force expressing method for a computer for controlling a pressure-sensitive adhesive force expressing unit,
 the pressure-sensitive adhesive force expressing unit including:   a conveyance unit for conveying a pressure-sensitive adhesive label in a predetermined direction, the pressure-sensitive adhesive label including a printable layer and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, the printable layer being provided on one surface of a base, the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer being provided on another surface of the base and covered by a non-pressure-sensitive-adhesive function layer; and   a thermal head including a plurality of heat generating elements arranged along a direction substantially orthogonal to the predetermined direction, the thermal head being configured to heat the pressure-sensitive adhesive label from the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer side to form a bore in the non-pressure-sensitive-adhesive function layer and expose the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer,   the pressure-sensitive adhesive force expressing method including:   setting, by the computer, an intermittent energization period of intermittently energizing the plurality of heat generating elements in a heat generating period of one cycle of forming bores for one row in the non-pressure-sensitive-adhesive function layer; and   intermittently energizing, by the computer, the plurality of heat generating elements in the set intermittent energization period.   
     
     
         11 . A pressure-sensitive adhesive force expressing program for causing a computer for controlling a pressure-sensitive adhesive force expressing unit,
 the pressure-sensitive adhesive force expressing unit including:   a conveyance unit for conveying a pressure-sensitive adhesive label in a predetermined direction, the pressure-sensitive adhesive label including a printable layer and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, the printable layer being provided on one surface of a base, the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer being provided on another surface of the base and covered by a non-pressure-sensitive-adhesive function layer; and   a thermal head including a plurality of heat generating elements arranged along a direction substantially orthogonal to the predetermined direction, the thermal head being configured to heat the pressure-sensitive adhesive label from the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer side to form a bore in the non-pressure-sensitive-adhesive function layer and expose the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer,   to perform processing of:   setting an intermittent energization period of intermittently energizing the plurality of heat generating elements in a heat generating period of one cycle of forming bores for one row in the non-pressure-sensitive-adhesive function layer; and   intermittently energizing the plurality of heat generating elements in the set intermittent energization period.